ST front recovery points

[Muddydogs]

Anyone have any idea what the best front recovery points are on a 2021 ST? I don't think I have a bolt hole or a bolt to use for a recovery point. I did find this cover in the bumper but there is nothing behind it for recovery. I kind of crawled underneath the car, as far as I could considering the lack of ground clearance for a supposed off road vehicle, looking for extraction points or places to hook a soft shackle to and didn't really find anything except a lot of plastic covers.

 

[mkuluz]

https://www.explorerst.org/threads/front-tow-bolt.217/#post-18022

There was a discussion about this previously but no real good answer.

 

[Muddydogs]

Friday when I take the vehicle in for the clear bra I am going to ask about recovery points even if they have to put the Vehicle on a lift so I can get a good look underneath. Not sure what good it will do, sink the front end a couple inches and there will be no way to get under it and around the plastic splash guards to even be able to put a soft shackle around something substantial enough to pull the vehicle out.

It's not like I am going to take this vehicle off a good gravel road but you never know what you might get into or do something stupid so I like to know what my options are. Our late Jeep Compass didn't come with a spare tire which I knew was a bad deal but due to procrastination and being a nice guy on my part it cost me a few hours of time and 4 new tires while road tripping through Moses Lake Wa of all places.

 

[mkuluz]

It will be interesting to hear what they say. Keep us posted.

 

[rjacobs]

The "crash bar" behind the bumper cover is aluminum correct? I saw another thread where it just bolts on and off the frame horn's...

If you REALLY want a screw type recovery point that would be super easy for a fab shop that does TIG welding to drill into the crash bar at the proper location and weld in an aluminum nut(or threaded aluminum sleeve the proper length) into the crash bar. I wouldnt trust it for dragging an upside down truck out of a ditch, but for light pulls it would likely be fine.

 

[rjacobs]

This is another "solution" although not as clean.

https://www.yellowlifting.com/tow-s...with-tj-combo-hook-2-leg-5400-lbs-p-2073.html

T hooks are what works on the small oval holes on the frame rails just inside of the jacking point. However ours are recessed a little bit so I might be concerned about getting the T hook in and being able to turn it to lock it in... not sure.

Then off the bridle you run a strap through it and pull her on out.

ETA: something like this might work better, but you would have to build out your own bridle.
https://baprod.com/shop/towing/t-hook/

But a T-hook is what you want in the front frame holes.

Again, I wouldnt want to go dragging the truck around on those as you will likely cause damage if the pull is hard enough, but that is the way a wrecker will yank you onto the flat bed.

 

[blaster9]

The "crash bar" behind the bumper cover is aluminum correct? I saw another thread where it just bolts on and off the frame horn's...

If you REALLY want a screw type recovery point that would be super easy for a fab shop that does TIG welding to drill into the crash bar at the proper location and weld in an aluminum nut(or threaded aluminum sleeve the proper length) into the crash bar. I wouldnt trust it for dragging an upside down truck out of a ditch, but for light pulls it would likely be fine.

Having pulled my entire front end off for whipple ic install, i dont think i'd trust the crash bar for anything other than a 10ft pavement pull with no added resistance, e.g., flat tire, stuck/etc. I'm very interested in hearing what comes of this thread as I do like to adventure out and was very disappointed to find no tow bolt hole behind my little plastic bumper door. For now, I've got traction boards mounted on the roof, a foldable shovel in the spare tire well, and a tow strap/shackle if worst case i need to be pulled from the tow hitch.

 

[blaster9]

This is another "solution" although not as clean.

https://www.yellowlifting.com/tow-s...with-tj-combo-hook-2-leg-5400-lbs-p-2073.html

T hooks are what works on the small oval holes on the frame rails just inside of the jacking point. However ours are recessed a little bit so I might be concerned about getting the T hook in and being able to turn it to lock it in... not sure.

Then off the bridle you run a strap through it and pull her on out.

ETA: something like this might work better, but you would have to build out your own bridle.
https://baprod.com/shop/towing/t-hook/

But a T-hook is what you want in the front frame holes.

Again, I wouldnt want to go dragging the truck around on those as you will likely cause damage if the pull is hard enough, but that is the way a wrecker will yank you onto the flat bed.

that's a cool concept but where I adventure out, there's not much room on the sides to utlizie the factory jack points. It's either front or back in most scenarios for me unless i wanna get pulled into a pine tree haha

 

[rjacobs]

that's a cool concept but where I adventure out, there's not much room on the sides to utlizie the factory jack points. It's either front or back in most scenarios for me unless i wanna get pulled into a pine tree haha

I dont think you understand how that bridal works...

You hook one T hook on each frame rail and then you pull from the center. You arent pulling to the side.

 

[blaster9]

I dont think you understand how that bridal works...

You hook one T hook on each frame rail and then you pull from the center. You arent pulling to the side.

ahh gotcha. thanks for the clarity

 

[rjacobs]

Having pulled my entire front end off for whipple ic install, i dont think i'd trust the crash bar for anything other than a 10ft pavement pull with no added resistance, e.g., flat tire, stuck/etc. I'm very interested in hearing what comes of this thread as I do like to adventure out and was very disappointed to find no tow bolt hole behind my little plastic bumper door. For now, I've got traction boards mounted on the roof, a foldable shovel in the spare tire well, and a tow strap/shackle if worst case i need to be pulled from the tow hitch.

All the factory tow hook would be screwed into would likely be that aluminum crash bar anyway... Try to get somebody who has that on an early 2020 to post a picture. I bet its a nut welded to that aluminum crash bar...

And honestly they arent really, on any car, designed to really pull on beyond loading something onto a flat bed and then using it as a strap down point.

So Ford or aftermarket towhook that threads into that crash bar are equally crap for a real recovery situation.

ETA: Ive dont A LOT of jeeping and done my fair share of recovery... its nothing to sneeze at when you get something loaded up to really pull on it. So far, in my minimal crawling around my 21 ST, I see about zero I would REALLY feel good about yanking on if stuck in something like deep mud... luckily the worst mine will ever see is a gravel road so I am ok.

 

[blaster9]

All the factory tow hook would be screwed into would likely be that aluminum crash bar anyway... Try to get somebody who has that on an early 2020 to post a picture. I bet its a nut welded to that aluminum crash bar...

And honestly they arent really, on any car, designed to really pull on beyond loading something onto a flat bed and then using it as a strap down point.

So Ford or aftermarket towhook that threads into that crash bar are equally crap for a real recovery situation.

Good pt, you're probably right RE the factory tow hook but I can say having owned several Jeeps with factory tow points (e.g., Cherokee trailhawk & GC trailhawk), those are able to withstand being yanked out of a mudhole and pulling others out/etc

 

[rjacobs]

I wont admit to having any experience with those two jeeps, but every other jeep I have experience with has STEEL crash beams... not aluminum. So guessing those factory Jeep tow hooks thread into a steel crash bar. OR the factory tow hooks are secured to the steel frame rails.

 

[BrianCanada]

My first Explorer had the threaded hole behind the cover on the front bumper. Like most are saying, I wouldn't trust this option as a recovery point seeing it's only aluminum.
Could be the reason Ford removed it in later builds.

 

[Speedraser]

I wonder if the recovery hooks on the 22’ Explorer Timberline would be able to be modified to work on the ST?

 

[jrgoffin]

I wonder if the recovery hooks on the 22’ Explorer Timberline would be able to be modified to work on the ST?

At least from the Ford drawing, there appear to be some attaching points on the frame that are used. Might be possible to adapt them if you’re willing to modify the bumper cover.

 

[DomiNate]

Ok seeing that many of us either don't have the recovery eye, or don't trust what it is attached to. Where else could we recover from? I have a kinetic rope and a receiver eye in my emergency bag so im good if I need to recover or BE recovered from the rear (giggity).
Where could a kinetic rope be safely used on the front?

 

[Tony Z]

At least from the Ford drawing, there appear to be some attaching points on the frame that are used. Might be possible to adapt them if you’re willing to modify the bumper cover.

View attachment 15346

This looks like the best solution, but it seems it will depend on where it comes out of the ST facia panel??

 

[Kevin_FG23]

What about a sturdy steel plate, shaped like this, bolted over the front of the aluminum bar?

 

[Boyd]

Looks like the Timberline hooks would come out very close to where the inboard sensors are on the ST. Would take a little cutting...